Anticipated demand for leading-edge foundry processing has pushed Globalfoundries to immediately start construction of a new 300mm fab at its complex in Dresden, Germany. Part of its Fab 1 cluster, the facility will the largest in Europe with a capacity of 80,000wspm (wafer starts per month), employing an 110,000 square foot cleanroom. First wafers out are expected in 2011 and will capable of processing at the 45/40/28nm technology nodes as well as initial 22nm development.

The foundry is also expanding the clean room shell currently under construction at Fab 8 at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County, New York. This is the second revision to the size of the new facility, since taking over AMD’s manufacturing operations. Globalfoundries said that the facility would now be expanded to 60,000wspm, increasing its process capabilities for 28/22/20nm technology nodes. The expansion will increase the size of the cleanroom shell by approximately 90,000 square feet, to approximately 300,000 square feet, according to Globalfoundries.

“Our 300mm fabs have been consistently ranked among the most advanced and efficient in the industry,” said Chia Song Hwee, chief operating officer, GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “Now we are taking our heritage of lean foundry manufacturing and world-class fab performance and making it available on a broader scale to meet the demands of the world’s leading chip design companies. With this aggressive capacity build-out plan, we are well positioned to provide new and existing customers with the fastest option to get advanced products to market in the volumes they need to ensure success.”

Although previous plans to establish manufacturing in Abu Dhabi over the long-term have yet to be realized, Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC), owners of Globalfoundries have announced initial plans for the creation of an advanced technology cluster adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport, Abu Dhabi.